Absolute
by Sakura02
Summary: Gilbert has failed again, landing Oz back into the Abyss. This time, what is his reason for negligence, and will Gil be able to get him back before his own body gives out and it becomes too late? No pairings. HIATUS?
1. When He Wakes

**Well, my fanfiction retirement has been suspended temporarily, while I bring to you...a Pandora Hearts story! It's been a couple of years since I started anything new and with a series I've just recently gotten into. So, if you will, consider this an AU, and be kind to me in your reviews. Thanks and I hope you enjoy!**

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Gilbert Nightray groaned and shifted a little beneath the covers. In his bedroom, the curtains had been drawn shut to block out the bright, irritating morning sunlight, and because of that, Gil's sense of time was completely thrown off—he didn't know if he had been asleep for minutes or hours. What he did know, however, was that the last time he had woken up, about 7:30 that same morning, he felt like he had just been run over by a truck.

Or crushed by a Chain that weighed as much as a house. No, the Vessalius mansion.

Maybe it was that idiot B-Rabbit, he had thought bitterly. Whatever she may have done to him, he definitely wouldn't put it past her for doing so.

Somehow, he had managed to drag himself out of bed anyway, despite how heavy and achy his body felt, and staggered into the kitchen. After all, it wasn't like he could just _not_ feed Oz. The kid was a growing boy, and Gil just couldn't afford to let down his master...again. He cursed as he cracked a few eggs and tossed them into the frying pan. He would never forgive himself for that day 10 years ago.

He threw some bacon strips into the pan, too. Mostly it was to give Oz a little extra protein, but he also knew that it would shut up the B-Rabbit. She was a complete carnivore. He looked down at the pan and frowned. Eggs and bacon—is that really all he had to offer them? Feeling a headache coming on, he sighed and threw himself into a chair. While it may not have been everything in his fridge, it was definitely all that he could muster the energy to actually cook.

Half an hour later, Gil could hear them coming before he saw them. They were running down the hallway, their bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor, no doubt racing to be the first one to the table. He felt his eye twitch as he flipped the eggs over once more. He gripped the spatula tightly, willing himself not to snap.

"Breakfast will be ready in a minute," he said gruffly. Man, his voice sounded horrible.

He heard as Alice and Oz pulled their chairs out from the table, scraping them roughly against the floor. Gil shuddered at the sound, but tried to ignore it anyway, pulling two plates from the cabinet and loading them each with a single fried egg and a couple of strips of bacon. He delivered them to the table and collapsed into the chair across from Oz.

"What's this?" Alice asked, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Just shut up and eat." He brought his hand to his face, using his thumb and forefinger to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Mm, Gil, this is really good!" Oz said between mouthfuls of egg. The young Vessalius had taken no time in shoveling his food into his mouth.

At least Oz was grateful for his efforts, and in the end, that's all that really mattered.

"This is just the beginning, right?" Alice asked, louder this time. "There's more, isn't there?"

"No, that's it."

"You're kidding!" She threw her arms in the air, fork still in hand, egg still on fork. She was sending splashes of yolk _everywhere_.

Before Gil was more than just tempted to yank the slice of bacon from her mouth and strangle her with it, he heard a light knock beneath the shelf beside his couch. All anger temporarily evaporated, Gil buried his face in his hands and cursed his very existence.

He got up and trudged to the counter to make himself some coffee just as Sharon Rainsworth and, of course, Xerxes Break stepped out from the shelf. Damn Pandora and its unusual means of transportation. Could they not just use the door like normal people?

"Good morning everyone!~~" Break sang cheerfully. Too cheerful in Gil's opinion.

Gil spun around with his coffee to make sure Break didn't try anything funny and watched as Sharon helped herself to his seat at the table. That was fine; he didn't mind it so long as it was only Sharon. But Break, no, Break sat himself on Gil's countertops. He was rummaging around in his coat pockets, no doubt looking for something to snack on.

"Sharon-sama, would you like something to eat?" Gil asked He wasn't about to include Break in that offer.

"No, we've already eaten," Sharon smiled.

Good, Gil thought. Although he had offered, he was still feeling tired and wasn't even sure he would have been able to pour her a bowl of cereal, much less cook something. He still had to ask though, just to be safe.

"Why are you here?" Oz asked. He had finished all of his egg (though most of it was now smeared across his chin), but was oblivious to Alice picking off strips of bacon from his plate. What Gil wouldn't do to hurl something at her head.

"Glad you asked, Oz-kun, glad you asked. I would like for the three of you to visit and investigate the city of Tamis."

"We've heard there may be an illegal contractor there," Sharon added.

"...And my memories?" Alice asked.

Break shrugged. "This sounds like a wonderful opportunity to find out."

"When do we leave?"

"Whenever you're ready, I suppose, though I would prefer sooner rather than later. Hullo there, what are you doing?"

Gil froze and looked up, feeling four pairs eyes boring into the side of his head. "Pouring out my coffee. I don't want it."

"Give it here then!" Break said, smiling and holding out his hand. He tut-tutted. "Honestly, some people just don't appreciate the tastes of sweets."

Gil didn't want to admit that he had offered no additives to his coffee before deciding he no longer wanted it. He grimaced as Break added a fistful of sugar to his coffee. The sight of it made Gil sick to his stomach.

"We're not ready," he said. "We just got back from our last assignment."

Again, all eyes turned to him. He sighed, wondering if things would ever be like they used to, back when Oz was still trapped in the Abyss and no one really bothered to give Gil a second glance. Now, with Oz here, it was almost like he was important again. He snorted; it was unbelievable how well he had been treated as a valet, as a servant.

"Gil, what's wrong?" Oz's concern was like a punch in the gut. _He_ was supposed to be the protector, not Oz.

"Nothing. I'm just tired." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, if you want to go, then we'll go."

He made to step away from the counter and almost face-planted into the floor. Fortunately (or unfortunately, but he would ponder that later), he was saved by Break, who had managed to stop him from falling by reaching down and grabbing Gil by the back of his shirt, nearly choking him, but still saving him from eating wooden planks for breakfast.

Oz had stood up and started guiding him to the now unoccupied chair. Gil didn't have the energy to protest—that dizzy spell had taken the very last of his strength. And still, all eyes remained on him. It was annoying, but he knew shouting would just aggravate his headache further.

"Alas, if Raven is feeling unwell...," Break started.

"I'm fine—"

"He has a fever."

When had Alice reached out to touch his forehead? The B-Rabbit, touching him—it made him feel dirty. Nevertheless, her hand felt cool against his heated skin, maybe even too cold. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself.

Oz stared at him, frowning. It was so unlike him; Gil would have preferred his smile. "I guess Alice and I can go if you're too sick to."

"No!" Gil said, head snapping up. Why was the kitchen spinning? "Absolutely not."

"Well, that's rude," Alice said, finally peeling her hand away from Gil's forehead and wiping it on his sleeve rather conspicuously. "I'm not going to eat him, you know."

"No...no, it's not that." Although that wasn't entirely true. "I wouldn't be there... No, it can't happen again. I won't allow it."

"They're just going to take a look around the city," Sharon supplied.

"When have we ever had a normal, _peaceful_ outing?" Gil retorted. Another chill ran through him and he shuddered.

"All right, all right, it's off to bed with you!" Break cried, leaping off the counter and moving forward to pull Gil's chair away from the table.

Gil stood, albeit reluctantly, however, he was too spent to do anything but comply. He allowed Break and Oz to lead him toward his bedroom. He was so unsteady on his feet, it was a miracle he had ever gotten up and made breakfast without burning down the kitchen.

Once inside his room, Break meandered around the perimeter, shutting the curtains to block out the rising sun. For this, Gil was especially grateful, for the darkness eased the throbbing in his head. He pulled himself free of Oz's helpful hand and staggered toward his bed, wanting nothing more than to crawl under the covers and go back to sleep. Right now, sleep sounded _heavenly_.

Climbing into bed was the last thing he remembered of that morning.

_"Gilbert!"_

Gil's eyes snapped open and he attempted to sit up in bed. He groaned when he felt his muscles painfully protest the movement. He managed to prop himself up on his elbows, squinting against a harsh ray of sunlight that had seeped in through the curtains. He leaned over, reading the clock on his bedside table: it read two o'clock in the afternoon.

Something had woken him, but at the time he couldn't figure out what. He didn't know if he had heard something or...

He gasped and threw himself out of bed, a stream of colorful curses exiting his mouth when his foot got tangled in the bed sheets. He yanked himself free and stumbled to his door, throwing it open with a flourish. The sight that greeted him in his kitchen was the same as when he had first left it that morning, with the exception of Sharon, who was napping on his couch. He had several questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn't just wake her. After all, she was still Sharon Rainsworth. He sighed and began picking up the dishes and putting them in the sink to wash.

If anyone were around to listen to him, he would have admitted to feeling marginally better, despite his throat feeling like he had just swallowed a mouthful of sand. He coughed some, but that only made it feel worse.

The sound of running water startled Sharon from her sleep. After realizing that it was only Gil, she rose slowly, stretching her arms high over her head. She called out to Gil once he shut off the water and started drying dishes.

"Oh, Sharon-sama," he croaked, wincing slightly at the sound of his voice.

"Good afternoon, Gilbert Nightray. Feeling better?"

He shrugged. "Where are the others?"

Sharon hesitated for a moment. "Break returned to discuss an urgent matter with Reim-san, and he has been gone for several hours." Gil swallowed, bracing himself for her to answer the rest of his question. "Alice and Oz-sama have left for Tamis."

Gil clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. He wanted to look surprised, but was he really? No, of course not. He expected Oz to leave; he had changed little in his 10 year absence.

As if to ease the tension in the room, Break suddenly burst through the shelf doors, his eye wild, his habitually fine hair errant and mussed. He froze upon seeing Gil up and about the kitchen, but he managed a small smile and sat down beside Sharon.

"You look terrible," Break greeted casually, popping a piece of candy into his mouth. "You're so pale and sweaty."

"You met with Reim?" Gil asked in an attempt to remain calm.

"Oh, and your voice! Did Raven swallow a toad?"

"I already told you—" Sharon interjected, looking at Gil.

"Did you learn anything about Tamis? Is there an illegal contractor there or not?"

Break remained silent for a full minute, irritating Gil and making him think that his question was not going to be answered. What he did not expect was Break to throw his arms into the air with such ferocity that he almost tossed poor Emily off his shoulder.

"That's it!" he shouted. "Gilbert, listen carefully to what I am about to tell you."

Gil nodded, his suspicion growing and his anxiety mounting at an alarming rate.

"Oz Vessalius has gone back into the Abyss."

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**Well, how was that? As a note, this story is not really about Gil being sick; it's more about the new development that Break has just provided us. Reviews are welcomed. :)**


	2. While He Sleeps

**Well, I was definitely disappointed by the favorite/alert-review ratio, but seeing as there was indeed a significant number of favorites and alerts for this story as opposed to reviews, I have decided to continue with this story.**

**I also learned that I prefer Bezarius over Vessalius, but for the sake of consistency, I will stick with the latter for the remainder of this story.**

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The carriage cabin smelled distinctly of stale vomit. The odor was pungent, despite the window having been rolled down for the last half hour. And if the cabby hadn't been employed by the Rainsworth family, he would have asked that they get out and continue the rest of their journey on foot.

Despite the smell, the inside of the carriage was spotless.

Sharon sat daintily with her hands pressed into her lap, staring interestedly outside the other, unopened window. Gilbert mused to himself, silently nursing another headache. He felt chilled and the open window beside him wasn't helping. Occasionally, his eyes strayed to the one sitting beside Sharon in the seat across from him.

Break was slouched down in his seat, his hair an errant mess, his face tinted an ugly shade of green.

When Gil had first worked out what was happening to the man within the first several minutes of their ride, he worked hard to keep his snide comments to himself. He realized that this may have been the reason why Break avoided normal means of transportation. Then again, if he wasn't constantly shoveling sweets into his mouth maybe he wouldn't be prone to such stomachaches.

The second time Break leaned over with a hand slapped against his mouth, groaning histrionically out the carriage window, Gil found it difficult to hide his sniggers. He received a poor excuse for a glare because of it, but he felt that it was well worth it.

Gil was grateful Break hadn't actually vomited, as he didn't think he would be able to stomach the sight, smell, and sound of it himself.

Notwithstanding this current feeling, Gil was still having a rather off day. He was plagued with restless anxiety over Oz's whereabouts, and on more than one occasion had Sharon politely asked him to stop twitching his leg so compulsively. He had reluctantly complied, knowing full well that the sound of his pant leg was undoubtedly aggravating, while the continuous movement had only succeeded in nauseating Break further. In another vain attempt to ease some of his distress, Gil began to pull obsessively at a loose thread on his coat sleeve. When the thread proved itself a fighter, he yanked at it, unraveling half the seam in the process; and still the string was attached.

The weather seemed to mirror his mood that day: cloudy, dreary, and on the verge of an epic downpour. Gil had felt like he was nearing a nervous breakdown. He still felt unwell, and the cool air pouring in through the open window presented him with sniffles that he didn't recall waking with that same morning.

Sighing and tired from his efforts, Gil eventually closed his eyes and let the rhythmic motion of the carriage lull him to sleep. He dreamt of bickering cats and ravens, images that he would have pondered and dissected mercilessly upon waking had he not been so tired. Now, the dreams were hardly enough to stir him. Flashes of Oz, Oscar Vessalius, and Vincent danced across his imagination—traces of small, insignificant memories.

He woke much later to the feeling of the carriage slowing to a stop. The carriage wobbled some as the driver and someone else climbed out into the open air. When Gil opened his eyes he was met with the sight of the old Vessalius mansion, towering above him, looking as dark and uninviting as ever in the most recent years. A light rain had begun to fall, and he now realized why Sharon had not yet ventured out into the yard.

No one had an umbrella and Break, who looked much better now that they were no longer moving, stood out in the rain, staring up at the sky as if willing it to stop, while the cabby held the carriage door open patiently for them to step out.

"Take this," Gil said, shrugging out of his coat and offering it up to the noble woman. As he did this, he was enveloped in a blanket of cold air that attacked him so suddenly that he nearly gasped with surprise. He shivered despite himself.

"Thank you," Sharon smiled, wrapping the coat around her and making sure to cover her head, as Break helped her out of the carriage and whisked her away to stand beneath the covered entrance of the Vessalius mansion.

Gil stepped out of the carriage, the rain sharp and stunning upon impact. He jogged to the front of the mansion, the cabby close on his heels. He was dripping water onto the tile in the mansion's grand foyer, a chill slowly creeping up on him now that he was standing still.

The mansion looked the same as it had the last time he had been. He had been there with Oz, and Break and Sharon, and the stupid rabbit. It had not been long since they had last visited together, but it did not make the place anymore welcoming. The number of good memories could not even compare to the weight of the bad ones.

And now Oz was gone. _Again_.

He followed Break as he led them into the receiving room. At least someone had had the decency to start a fire. He was getting drowsy, so he kicked off his boots and spread himself out on one of two couches. He remembered these well, and they were just as stiff and uncomfortable as ever. The fire radiated heat throughout the room and Gil could now feel himself beginning to relax.

Sharon came over and handed him back his jacket, which he then draped over himself like a blanket. She thanked him again and he nodded, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep.

"You should go wash up," she advised him. "At least dry yourself off."

Gil promptly sneezed. He took a cushion from behind his head and buried his face behind it, groaning softly.

"Oh my, are you still feeling ill?"

She reached out to touch his skin, but Gil brushed her away. The most important thing was finding out what happened to Oz.

"Tell me what happened," Gil said, addressing Break, who had taken a seat at a round wooden table adjacent him. At first, he had been in too much shock to ask about the details, and when he had finally composed himself, Break had ushered them all out to the waiting carriage. Gil had not been able to ask about it then, either.

"Well, like I've already said, Oz-kun and Alice-kun have disappeared into the Abyss." Gil opened his mouth to speak, and Break wagged a finger at him. "Do not interrupt me... Okay, I'm finished, you may speak."

Gil stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. He shook his head, clearing away a hypnagogic haze and pushed himself up on his elbows so he could better face the Hatter. He cleared his throat, wincing at the feeling of sandpaper coating his larynx.

"I have to go after them," he croaked, "and there is _nothing_ you can say to stop me."

"And if I were to use physical force?" Break asked, nonchalant, placing his chin in his hand.

Gil only narrowed his eyes. He knew that if it were to come down to a skirmish, his Chain was not as powerful was Break's, and he could never actually hurt the man, no matter how much he was annoyed by him.

He had been considering the idea of traversing into the Abyss since the thought meandered across his mind on their ride to the mansion. He had also wondered whether he would tell Break about his decision, as he was the one who would mostly likely try to stop him.

"Well, Raven?" Break prompted.

"I will do whatever it takes."

"Very well then." Break smiled and walked toward Gil, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest," he said quietly, before walking off, ushering Sharon out with him.

Gil stuffed the pillow back behind him, cushioning his head with the plush goose down inside. He yawned, trying to ignore the painful feeling in his throat. He had had a long, exhausting day, and as much as he wished it, he could not fight off the tired feeling for long; eventually, his eyes fluttered closed and he was fast asleep.

He was running uselessly around the Abyss—lost, alone, and soaked from the waist down. The red water or blood, whatever it was, was cold and gave him the feeling of death. He was searching and searching and still he had no clues as to where Oz and the rabbit were. If only there was a way for him to see Oz's footsteps and follow them, but the liquid floor made that impossible.

A conveniently placed chair was a welcomed sight, and he set down to think. His tired body delighted in the brief downtime, his muscles screaming in protest when he straightened at a familiar sound. Oz's laughter, it was echoing all around him, confusing his senses and making it almost impossible for him to decide which course he should take.

He stood and started for a direction randomly, listening to see if the echoes originated from there. The sound reverberated loudly and annoyingly in his ears, the noise seeming to ricochet against the inside walls of his skull. He grimaced at the forming headache.

He found his quarry not long after. They were currently engaged with a Chain, a particularly large one with sharp, pointy teeth. Oz was no longer laughing. The Vessalius boy stood unmoving, his trembling legs paralyzed with fear. Alice remained at his left, and Gil could almost see the cogs in her head turning as she tried to figure out a solution to their problem. Neither of them noticed Gil's presence.

The Chain, a grayish-green feline with creepy eyes not unlike that of a baby doll, was bearing down on them. It barred its fangs and roared, strangely human words issuing from its mouth, although they were unintelligible from where Gil stood. He ran toward them, needing to be there to help. But it seemed like the further he ran, the further Oz and the others seemed to be. He wasn't getting any closer, and their struggle with the Chain seemed to be hitting a climax.

As he continued to run, he was forced to watch as the Chain lowered its head and snarled. It snapped its teeth at them, a warning. Alice lunged toward it, eager to do whatever it took to come out victorious and stay alive.

Gil called out to them, hoping to alert them to his presence and let them know that he was trying to reach them. Oz finally seemed to become aware of his surroundings and he turned at the sound of his friend's voice. It was at that same moment that Alice, temporarily startled by the newcomer's voice, was caught off guard by the Chain and brutally tossed to the side, where she landed some feet away with a splash.

The Chain, no longer distracted by Alice, turned its full attention to Oz, who, eyes still on Gil, had no warning of the beast as it lowered its head...Oz, relieved, a huge grin splitting across his face...the Chain's mouth opening wide...

There was a blinding brightness, followed by an impenetrable darkness. And then Gilbert woke up.

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**For the record, I've only read the manga up until volume four, so I really don't know much after the Cheshire Cat shows up. As always, reviews would be greatly appreciated.**


	3. What He Finds

**Thanks to citatsce for encouraging me to continue with this story. Also, to Yen Press for **_**finally**_** releasing volume 5; it truly does get tiring having to read the chapters online, especially when trying to catch up with a series with chapters quite as long as these (April 2011).**

**Also, I went through a bit of a mini-crisis when my laptop died, costing me several documents (including a majority of this chapter). After about a month, I managed to restore my laptop to give me enough time to pull off all my documents and transfer them another system. That's mainly what caused the delay...(June 2011)**

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It was the middle of the night when Gil was startled awake from his dream. The burning fire in the hearth was now nothing but glowing embers, bathing the logs in a faint orange light. The lack of heat left Gil with terrible shivers, and it was then that he realized that he was curled awkwardly among the couch cushions, buried beneath his coat as though it was the dead of winter.

In reality, it was mid-spring.

He sat up slowly and stretched, wincing as a couple of his stiff joints cracked with the sudden strain of movement. Looking around, he knew that he needed to leave this place—this once abandoned mansion felt as though it was haunted, and it was revealing once suppressed memories that Gil wished he could permanently forget, but knew that it was impossible.

Still, he could leave temporarily. And go where? The Abyss was the one place he needed to be in, but even that contained painful events from his past. But Oz needed him, and as much as he hated to admit it, Alice needed him too. Without the Raven's powers, Alice's powers could remain dormant, leaving her and Oz vulnerable in the event were a Chain to attack.

Resigned to his fate, Gil forced himself into a standing position, brushing off a brief spell of lightheadedness as rising too quickly. He pulled on his coat and wrapped it tightly around him, fighting the chills that continued to rattle his body. He grabbed the brass stoker and poked the charred logs until they disintegrated and smothered any remaining cinders in wood chips and ash.

He took a few cautious steps into the foyer, listening for any signs on life. He had already suspected that Sharon and Break were using the upstairs rooms as their sleeping quarters, checking only to confirm his hypothesis. Perhaps the cabby had even gone back to tend the horses, if the rain let up.

As he turned down the hallway leading toward the mansion's gated entrance into the Abyss, he found that he was unnaturally complacent walking to the one place that could ultimately spell his demise. He had to try though, for Oz and the B-Rabbit.

A loud crashing and clattering of metal caused Gil to jump. He froze, not daring to even turn around, using only his eyes to scan as much as possible and his muddled mind to conclude any possible threat. After their earlier conversation, Gil had suspected to confront Break one last time before entering the Abyss, considering him Gil's one true obstacle in rescuing the others.

After several seconds of not even breathing, Gil was forced to conclude that what he heard was nothing. Possibly just a mouse. The very thought left his mind unconsciously straying to Vincent.

Gil couldn't remember what happened next. He had reached out toward the gate, and now found himself standing knee deep in the strangely crimson water of the Abyss. The sudden darkness left him temporarily blinded, and he had no choice to remain where he was until his eyes adjusted.

When he felt confident enough in his vision, he trudged aimlessly through the liquid floor. He wondered if he made the right decision in coming here. What if Alice and Oz weren't even here, but were trapped in a dimension like Cheshire's? And if they were here in the Abyss with him, Gil had no idea how he would get them all back home. He felt embarrassingly weak and even if he did manage to use the Raven's ability to unseal Alice's powers...

No, there were no excuses. He _had_ to get them out.

His left hand twitched involuntarily—the hand with the Raven's seal. He snorted; speak of the devil. The spasms in his hand continue, becoming almost painful. The last time this happened was because, again, during Gil's absence, Oz had needed to release the B-Rabbit's powers and...Oz's incuse! It was ticking!

Startled and shaken from his groggy, illness-induced stupor, Gil began to panic. Oz would only need to release Alice's powers if they were being attacked—surely it wasn't because they were trying to escape the Abyss on their own. But still Gil didn't know how he would find them. If only Alice or the Vessalius heir had a locator chip implanted in them.

A shrill cry alerted him to a disturbance somewhere to his left. Could it be? He closed his eyes and prayed—it was the only lead he had to go on—and ran. He became vaguely aware of a tightening in his chest and a stitch in his side, but he was determined not to let anything deter him from his goal.

He tripped over something at the bottom of the liquid floor and went down hard. As he pulled himself up off the floor, he became aware of how difficult it was to move. His whole body felt like it was made from lead. Groaning with the effort to stand, he saw what it was that had caused him to fall. It was an old wooden chair.

...Now why did that register something in the back of his mind?

He pulled the chair up, resisting the urge to sit in it, for he knew he would regret sitting just as much as he was regretting not sitting down. A sudden drowsiness as threatening to hinder his search even further, but he pushed that aside, finding and using some of his energy reserves to keep moving. He didn't even know if he was still going in the right direction. If there was a right direction.

After what seemed an eternity, Gil stumbled upon a scene that seemed as familiar to him as the chair had been. Before him was a Chain the size of a house, feline in appearance, with eyes as intense as a child's baby doll. Instinctually, he wanted to run (that Chain _was_ fairly large and..._cat-like_), but sudden laughter caught his attention. Squinting through the darkness, he saw Alice. She was riding the Chain like it was nothing more than an oversized horse.

"Hey, look what the cat dragged in!" Alice called waving. She stopped and gripped the Chain's fur as the creature shifted beneath her. "Whoa!"

Gil saw a flash of yellow hair and sighed with relief. Oz was standing at the Chain's feet and had turned to look at him. Gil gave a small smile and trudged forward.

The giant cat Chain snarled and bucked suddenly, almost knocking Alice off its back. Gil could see his dream coming true right before his eyes. In the next second, the Chain would lower its snout and swallow Oz whole. Then Gil would have failed.

Tapping into one more store of his reserves, Gil sprinted forward, grabbed Oz, and released the B-Rabbit's powers. He heard Alice's elated cry, a noise of displeasure from the cat Chain, and then was enveloped in a cloud of smoke.

The smoke settled soon enough leaving Gil exhausted, Oz beside him, and a very large black rabbit.

"No, you killed Boris!" Alice exclaimed, her voice now that of the B-Rabbit. "You transformed me and I sat on him and killed him!"

Gil rolled his eyes and observed Oz.

"What happened to you?" he asked, his voice laden with concern. He grabbed Oz's chin and turned it to get a better look at the boy's right eye, which was swollen and purpling.

"Oh," Oz chuckled. "Alice punched me because I couldn't release her powers and get us out of here."

Gil didn't find that the least bit funny, but let the matter drop.

"I didn't think we'd ever get out of here," Oz said.

"We're not out yet," Gil said running a hand through his hair.

"But you're here. You can use the Raven's powers to get us out, just like that time at Cheshire's."

Oz sounded so confident, so sure of Gilbert's abilities that Gil was afraid of proving him contrary.

"He doesn't look like he can get out of his shoes," Alice said, voicing Gil's own personal doubts, "let alone get us out of the Abyss."

Oz stared at Gil, frowning, pondering their next course of action. He looked him up and down, taking in his solemn appearance. Finally, he sighed.

"She's right. Gil, I planned our escape without ever considering how you were feeling," he said. "Forgive me?"

Gil nodded, teetering some at the sudden lightheadedness.

"Well, how _are_ you feeling?" Alice coaxed, keeping the scorn in her voice to a minimum.

He swallowed several times before answering, coating his parched throat in saliva in an attempt to make his voice sound less pathetic. Releasing Alice's dormant power had taken a great toll on his already weakened body, and he felt she had been right about the shoes comment. He found it amazing that he was even still standing.

And was it his imagination or had it gotten harder to see? He rubbed at his eyes, only succeeding in making his vision worse, hazier.

"Gil?" Oz asked.

When Gil spoke, is voice was just barely above a whisper. "I," he paused to clear his throat. "I don't..."

He swayed, his vision swimming. He felt a pair of strong arms envelope him, and then his world went completely dark.


	4. Things He Thought

**Just as a forewarning: this is an extremely short chapter. I just wanted to get something else out there while the events of the last chapter are still somewhat fresh in your minds.**

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Gil's eyes fluttered open, his vision swimming. He blinked several times and started when he was met with a pair of large green eyes just inches from his face. He gasped and tried to pull back, groaning softly as he moved his aching muscles.

"Oh, thank goodness," Oz breathed pulling away. "You're alive."

"What happened?" Gil asked managing to lift himself into a seated position.

He had been lying on a bed, uncomfortable, but better than what he had been expecting. He had been expecting nothing, vast darkness and crimson liquid, such as was typical of the Abyss. He wondered how much of it had been real and how much of it had only been a dream.

"I don't...," Oz said in perfect imitation of Gil's currently scratchy voice. He then proceeded to mock swoon, doubling over in a fit of giggles. He sobered up and said, "You were about to say something, but if you were going to say _I don't feel good_, well, that would have been understandable."

Alice snorted, reminding Gilbert of her presence. "What a useless manservant you are," she said pointedly to Gil, "making _me_ carry _you_."

Oz ignored Alice's comment and gave his friend a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry you don't feel well. Being stuck here probably isn't doing anything to help you."

Gil just stared, slowly processing Oz's words. His mind was so clouded with sickness that it took him a moment to grab the meaning behind his words. Right. They were still in the Abyss. It was all real and he hadn't dreamed a thing.

That meant that he still had the problem of trying to get them home. He sighed and laid his head back against the bed railing.

"Where are we," Gil asked, "in the Abyss? Have you ever seen this area before?"

"This whole place looks the same! It's impossible to tell where we are or where we've been!"

Again, Gil and Oz ignored Alice, and Gil, still looking at his master, asked, "How long have we been here?"

Oz shook his head. "You, of all people, know I can't tell you that. The ten years I spent here felt only like a few hours."

"You were gone nearly a day before I came in after you." Gil shook his head and ran a hand through his curls. "You left for Tamis, right? What did you find?"

Oz said nothing. In fact, the more Gil studied him, the more he saw something unusual creeping into Oz's eyes. Was it fear? Or guilt? For a minute Gil thought that he was imagining it—perhaps it was the fever putting images into his head—but cutting a glance at Alice and seeing her expression, Gil knew that he wasn't mistaken.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Maybe you should get some more rest," Oz said. "Alice and I can hold down the fort. Hopefully the next time you wake up we can figure out a way out of this place."

Even as ill as he was, Gil did not miss how Oz skirted around his question. Whether it was meant purposely to hide something or whether Oz felt that Gil really did need more rest (as much as he wanted to, Gil couldn't argue with that fact), Gil was having a difficult time figuring out the questioning look he saw in Oz's green eyes.

"Tell me what's going on," Gil said. "Oz, please, why are you looking at me like that?"

The silence between them was thick and unwavering. Alice looked between master and servant, her curiosity mounting. Judging by what she knew, she wondered how Oz was going to best handle the situation. She next pondered how Gil would accept the explanation; he was fragile enough as it was (weak with sickness, of course), and if he passed out again or if his condition get even worse, then they might never leave the confines of the Abyss.

"Oz!" Alice said suddenly, causing the others to jump. She leaped down from an unsteady stack of dining chairs and pointed to some spot in the distance. "I'm going to stand sentry over there. God knows I can't trust either of you _men_ to guard us out here."

Oz chuckled and watched silently as Alice disappeared into the darkness. He remained silent, sighing when Gil cleared his throat and urged him to continue.

"Nothing," Oz said, and he wiped his palms on his pant legs. "We didn't find anything."

Gil was confused. "Why couldn't you just tell that?"

"Gil, nobody lives in Tamis. The city was wiped out years ago."

* * *

**Since the last time I updated this I was just about as sick as Gil. I had tonsillitis and was given foul-tasting antibiotics to boot. Now those were some crazy drugs—the first day I took them I ran into a wall in my house... But I mostly just slept. The week after that I got the stomach flu. :(**

**Anyway, sorry for the short chapter. Please review and let me know what you think!**


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